Apr 28, 2014

11:37 AM

There are new things to get excited about this season at the nation’s oldest amusement park.

Lake Compounce, which opens for the 2014 season on May 10, has added three new attractions to its already impressive lineup of summer fun. (Having opened in 1846, the park, located in Bristol, is the oldest continually operated amusement park in the country.)

Today it is made up of of more than 20 kiddie rides, 13 thrilling attractions, including rollercoasters, eight water attractions and four shows.

FOOD

This year, the park will become the home of the first Pink’s Hot Dogs location on the East Coast–adding to the diverse menu of eateries. Guests can already chow down on pizza, tacos, barbecue, ice cream and more.

Pink’s Hot Dogs has expanded with locations around California, and in Las Vegas and Ohio, but the Lake Compounce stand will be the first on the East Coast.

The open-air stand will be located across from the park’s carousel and will hold its grand opening May 17 in tandem with a Weiner Dog 100 race–where dachshunds will race for the title of Fastest Hot Dog.

STAY

The campground will include 20 fully-furnished cabins, 56 RV sites equipped with water and electricity and space for 30 tent sites. There are also five tipis capable of sleeping four to six people. Each tipi will have electricity and a mini refrigerator. (Interior of a cabin, right.)

FUN

Beginning on July 4, a brand new light show will “Illuminate the Night” on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Aug. 24. The spectacle will be produced by Minnesota-based company, Lasertainment. A 50-foot water wall will veil the lake with simultaneously synchronized music, projections and lasers.

“As you can see we’ve got a tremendous amount of new and exciting things going on, and we are looking forward to an incredible season,” says Lake Compounce General Manager Jerry Brick. “The campground has been in the works for some time and we’re thrilled to see it becoming a reality, and the introduction of Pink’s Hot Dogs is going to round out our food service nicely.” (Lake Compounce entrance, left.)

MORE

But that’s not all. Lake Compounce is expanding on some of its old standbys, including the Crocodile Cove Water Park. Five new cabanas will be added near Bayou Bay–one of the park’s two wave pools–this season. All of the park cabanas have been upgraded to VIP status, meaning everyone gets a free tote, towel, sunscreen, access to two large lockers and in-park coupons. Guests can take advantage the park’s cabana food service by placing an order during the time of rental.

The Platinum Pass, which costs $74.99, gets visitors unlimited entry into the park from May through December, including the park’s Haunted Graveyard and Holiday Lights events.

The Summer Pass, which costs only $50, will give visitors unlimited access into the park from May through September with no additional perks.

There are a number of promotions that Lake Compounce will offer throughout the summer, starting with a "buy one, get one free" ticket promotion during the first two weekends of operation in May, when purchased off the website.